William a



(No Model.)

W. A. CHAPMAN. GOFPIN HANDLE;

N0. 558,897 Pat entedApr. 21, 1896.

VILLIAM A. CHAPMAN, OF INSTED, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE STRONG MANU FACTURIN G COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COFFlN-HANDLE.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,897, dated April 21, 1896. Application filed December 28, 1895. Serial No. 573,657. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM A. CHAPMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Vinsted, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coffin-Handles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,whereby any one skilled in the art can make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a eoffin-handle the outer surface of which may be composed of a metal capable of high ornamentation and finish, and at the same time one that shall be extremely strong and capable of withstanding the severest strains to which it may be put in use.

To this end my invention consists in the details of the several parts making up the device as a whole and in the combination of such parts, as more particularly hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a cofiin-handle embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail back view of one of the supports of the handle and of the cover therefor. Fig. 3 is a detail view, in lengthwise central section, through the same with the handle in its lowermost position. Fig. 4. is a like view showing the handle raised. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the hanger for the handle.

Prior to my invention an attempt has been made to construct coffin-handles of a com paratively soft metal for the purpose of ornamentation and finish; but in such devices a difficulty has been experienced in that a metal capable of the required degree of ornamentation and finish has been found too soft and not of requisite strength to withstand the severe strains in use.

In the construction of a coffin-handle after my present invention I have provided means whereby a coffin-handle may be so constructed as to be capable of any desired degree of ornamentation and finish and yet at the same time be sulficiently strong to withstand the severe strains put upon it in use.

In the accompanying drawings the letter a denotes a cover-plate or escutcheon, preferably made of a comparatively soft metal, said escutoheon having holes a for securing it in place on the side of a coffin. Two of these escutcheons are illustrated in the drawings herein for each handle that consists of a handle-bar Z), held by drops 0. Each of the drops 0 is composed of an arm (1, composed of steel or like strong metal and preferably fiat orof rectangular shape in cross-section. This arm cl is surrounded completely by a covering 0 of metal similar to that composing the escutcheon. end of the arm d, the handle-bar b fitting this recess and a screw 1) retains the handle-bar in place, the screw extending through the covering c with its inner end taking against the handle-bar b, clamping the two parts together. The recess d is formed with a projection (2 extending partly around the handle-bar, overlying the latter in such manner as to take all of the upward strains in use.

The inner end of the arm 61 is pivoted in a hanger e, that consists of a base-piece having screw-holes 6 arranged with relation to the holes a in the escutcheon a. This hanger e is composed of steel or like strong metal, and consists of the base and the side parts or cars 6 supporting the pivot for the arm d. The ears may be formed by bending up the metal of which the hanger is composed, and the stop e may be formed at the upper end of the socket by bending'over a plate forming a top wall to the socket between the ears.

A stop is formed in the base of the hanger c, this stop in the form shown consisting of the lower edge of a recess 6 cut through the base. The stop e may be formed by bending up the metal from such hole or recess in the back plate, the lower edge of the piece thus bent up forming said stop. Shoulders d d are formed on the arm I) in such position as to thrust against the shoulders e and a, respectively, on the base-plate.

A recess (Z is formed in the lower I have shown and described herein the stop against which the shoulder d abuts as formed of the lower edge of a recess in the back plate;

but it is obvious that such stop need not consist of a recess, any shoulder or projection in the path of movement of the shoulder d serving the purpose equally well and coming within the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In a coffin-handle in combination with a handle-bar, a hanger of hard metal bent to shape and having a recess in the rear Wall the edge of which forms a stop, an escutcheon covering the hanger, a thin arm of hard metal pivoted to the hanger and having on its inner end a shoulder adapted to engage the stop on the hanger, and a soft-metal covering for the arm with a transverse handle-socket through the outer end, all substantially as described.

2. In a cofiin-handle in combination with a handle-bar, a hanger of hard metal bent to shape and having a number of stops in front and rear wall respectively, an escutcheon covering the hanger, a thin arm of hard metal pivoted to the hanger and having on the inner end shoulders adapted to simultaneously e11- gage the respective stops on the hanger, a soft-metal covering for the arm with a transverse handle-socket through the outer end, a curved projection on the outer end of the arm having its inner edge flush with the handle-socket and extending but part way around the same, and a clamp-screwlocated in a threaded socket in the arm-covering all substantially as described.

WILLIAM A. CHAPMAN.

\Vitnesses:

HARVEY L. ROBERTS, ERNEST F. SWEENY. 

